Awesome Arroz con Pollo

Edit 0 1 …
Awesome Arroz con Pollo

by Stephanie van Adelsberg
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves 4 people

Ingredients:
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 brown or red onion, halved, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 6 (about 600g) chicken thigh fillets, halved crossways OR 6 chicken breasts, cubed in large chunks
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp saffron threads (you can substitute a combination of turmeric powder, rubbed sage, and chili powder)
  • 150g (3/4 cup) long-grain white rice
  • 1 x 400g can diced Italian Roma tomatoes (you can also use fresh tomatoes)
  • 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
  • 1 tbs tomato paste
  • 200g fire-roasted peeled whole peppers (Always Fresh brand), coarsely chopped (you can also roast peppers on the stove until charred, place into a plastic bag, and 20 minutes later peel off the skins and WAHLAH, you have your own fresh fire-roasted whole peppers)
  • 1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley

Directions
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until onion softens. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until brown all over. Add the cumin, paprika and saffron and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the rice, tomatoes and chicken stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 15-45 minutes rice is tender and cooked through. You may need to add more chicken broth or liquid in order so that the rice does not burn at the bottom of the pan. ( I ended up adding 1/2 cups more chicken broth.)
  2. Add the tomato paste, peppers and parsley, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat. Divide the arroz con pollo among serving bowls and serve immediately.